Presenters Lisa Duffee and Kevin Buchanan discuss tips and tricks to get paid at bench bar 2020

1. PULLING A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT:
TRICKS TO GET PAID
ATTORNEY’S FEES AND
RECEIVERS
BENC H BAR 2 0 2 0
D U FFEE + EI TZEN FAM I LY LAW

2. LISA GREENWOOD DUFFEE KEVIN BUCHANAN
SPEAKER S
DUFFEE + EITZEN L.L.P. KEVIN BUCHANAN & ASSOCIATES, P.L.L.C.

3. PART1
FE E A G RE E ME NTS

4. A L W A Y S G E T Y O U R C L I E N T T O S I G N A F E E
A G R E E M E N T .
T E R M S T O I N C L U D E I N T H E F E E A G R E E M E N T :
§ A N A RBI T RA T I O N CL A US E ;
§ A S S I G N ME N T O F L I E N A G A I N S T S UMS O F
MO N E Y O R A S S E T S A W A RD E D T O T H E
CLI E N T ;
§ S PE CI FI C PO W E R O F A T T O RN E Y.
C L I E N T Q U E S T I O N N A I R E C A N A L S O A S K T H E
C L I E N T T O D E S I G N A T E I F T H E Y W A N T T H E I R
C R E D I T C A R D A U T O M A T I C A L L Y C H A R G E D
E A C H M O N T H .

5. PART2
REQUESTING AND COLLECTING
INTERIM FEES

6. • TALK TO OPPOSING COUNSEL AND SEE IF
AN AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED ON
HOW BOTH PARTIES’ FEES GET PAID
• KNOW YOUR JUDGE
• FILE A MOTION AND REQUEST AN ORDER
REQUIRING OPPOSING PARTY TO PAY
INTERIM FEES

7. 0 1
PRESERVATION OF
PROPERTY & PROTECTION
OF PARTIES
THE ATTORNEY FEES AND EXPENSES ARE
NECESSARY AND EQUITABLE FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY OR THE
SPOUSE'S PROTECTION. SEE TEX. FAM.
CODE § 6.502(A)(4)
0 2 MOVANT’S NEED
THERE IS A CREDIBLE NEED FOR THE
ATTORNEY FEES IN THE AMOUNT
REQUESTED, AND THE MOVANT IS UNABLE
TO PAY THOSE FEES FROM RESOURCES AT
HIS OR HER DISPOSAL. HERSCHBERG V.
HERSCHBERG, 994 S.W.2D 273, 279 (TEX.
APP.— CORPUS CHRISTI 1999, PET. DENIED)
F ILE
A MOTION FOR INTERIM FEES
AND PRESENT EVIDENCE
ESTABLISHING THE
FOLLOWING

8. F ILE
A MOTION FOR INTERIM FEES
AND PRESENT EVIDENCE
ESTABLISHING THE
FOLLOWING
THE RESPONDENT CAN PAY THE AMOUNT
REQUESTED FROM COMMUNITY FUNDS. SEE
HERSCHBERG, 994 S.W.2D AT 279.THE AMOUNT OF
ATTORNEY FEES AWARDED CANNOT BE SO
EXCESSIVE AS TO MAKE THE RESPONDENT
DESTITUTE. HERSCHBERG, 994 S.W.2D AT 279; IN RE
WYMORE, NO. 2-05-056-CV, 2005 WL 737476
(MEMO OP.).
RESPONDENT'S ABILITY
TO PAY
0 3
REASONABLENESS OF FEES0 4

9. THE ANDERSON EVIDENTIARY FACTORS TO BE
CONSIDERED BY THE COURT REGARDING A FEE AWARD
• THE TIME AND LABOR REQUIRED, THE NOVELTY AND DIFFICULTY OF THE QUESTIONS INVOLVED, AND THE SKILL
REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE LEGAL SERVICE PROPERLY.
• THE LIKELIHOOD THAT ACCEPTANCE OF THE PARTICULAR EMPLOYMENT WILL PRECLUDE OTHER EMPLOYMENT.
• THE FEE CUSTOMARILY CHARGED IN THE LOCALITY FOR SIMILAR LEGAL SERVICES. THE AMOUNT INVOLVED AND THE
RESULTS OBTAINED.
• THE TIME LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE CLIENT OR BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
• THE NATURE AND THE LENGTH OF THE PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CLIENTTHE EXPERIENCE,
REPUTATION, AND ABILITY OF THE LAWYER OR LAWYERS PERFORMING THE SERVICES.
• WHETHER THE FEE IS FIXED OR CONTINGENT ON RESULTS OBTAINED
OR UNCERTAINTY OF COLLECTION BEFORE LEGAL SERVICES HAVE BEEN RENDERED.

10. A MOTION FOR INTERIM FEES
AND PRESENT EVIDENCE
ESTABLISHING THE
FOLLOWING
05
PREPARING AN ATTORNEY
AND EXPERT FEE BUDGET
FOR THE COURT
IDENTIFYING ISSUES WHICH
COMPLICATE THE CASE
A
E
B
D
C
V A L U A T I O N Q U E S T I O N S
C H A R A C T E R I Z A T I O N O F
P R O P E R T Y Q U E S T I O N S
N E C E S S I T Y F O R E X P E R T S S U C H A S
A P P R A I S E R S , P S Y C H O L O G I S T S , O R
O T H E R E X P E R T S
I D E N T I F Y T H E D I S C O V E R Y N E E D S O F
Y O U R C A S E A N D W H E T H E R O R N O T
D E P O S I T I O N S W I L L B E T A K E N ,
T R A C I N G W I L L B E N E E D E D , E T C .
H I D D E N A S S E T S / A C C O U N T S
F O R I N C O M E
P A R T 2
F ILE

11. O F P A Y M E N T
SOUR C ES
• I D E N T I FY A S PE CI FI C
CO MMUN I T Y
• A CCO UN T .
• PRO VI D E PRO O F T O T H E CO URT O F T H E
BA L A N CE O F FUN D S A V A I L A BL E I N T H A T
A CCO UN T FO R T H E PA YME N T O F FE E S .
• I F T H E RE I S N O L I Q UI D A CCO UN T W I T H
S UFFI CI E N T FUN D S O UT O F W H I CH FE E S CA N BE
PAI D , BE PRE PARE D T O S UG G E S T T O T H E CO URT
S O ME A L T E RN A T I V E S .

12. FOR EXAMPLE Y OU C AN S U GGES T TO THE C OU RT
• T H A T A P A R T I C U L A R I T E M O F C O M M U N I T Y P R O P E R T Y B E S O L D O R
P L E D G E D .
• T H A T A S P O U S E C A N P A Y A F I X E D A M O U N T O N A P E R I O D I C B A S I S F R O M
I N C O M E R E C E I V E D F R O M E M P L O Y M E N T O R A N Y O T H E R S O U R C E D U R I N G
T H E C A S E .
• T H A T A S P O U S E C A N B E A U T H O R I Z E D T O I N C U R D E B T ,
• H O M E E Q U I T Y L O A N S ,
• T R A D I T I O N A L L O A N S F R O M A F I N A N C I A L I N S T I T U T I O N ,
• L O A N S A G A I N S T 4 0 1 ( K ) A C C O U N T S ,
• L O A N S S E C U R E D B Y N O N - L I Q U I D P R O P E R T Y , A N D C A S H A D V A N C E S
A G A I N S T A C R E D I T C A R D .
• T H A T A S P O U S E C A N B E O R D E R E D T O S E L L N O N - L I Q U I D P R O P E R T Y A N D
F O R W A R D T H E P R O C E E D S T O T H E A T T O R N E Y A S I N T E R I M F E E S .

13. THE C OU RT TY PI C ALLY ORD ERS THE
PAY M ENT OF ATTORNEY ’S FEES OU T OF
C OM M U NI TY PROPERTY . G RO S S N I CK L E V .
G RO S S N I CK L E , 9 3 5 S .W .2 D 8 3 0 , 8 4 6 -4 7
(T E X . A PP.—T E X A RK A N A , 1 9 9 6 , W RI T
D E N I E D ).
o I N R E C . F . M . , 3 6 0 S . W . 3 D 6 5 4 , 6 5 9
( T E X . A P P . — D A L L A S 2 0 1 2 , N O P E T ) . ( A N
A W A R D O F I N T E R I M A T T O R N E Y ’ S F E E S C A N
B E P A I D O U T O F S E P A R A T E P R O P E R T Y )
o T H E T R I A L C O U R T D I D N O T E R R I N P L A C I N G
A L L P R O P E R T Y — C O M M U N I T Y A N D
S E P A R A T E — U N D E R T H E C O N T R O L O F T H E
R E C E I V E R
R U L E
GENERAL

14. • L A Y O U T C L E A R L Y W H A T T H E
R E C E I V E R I S T O P A Y .
• D R A F T T H E M S P E C I F I C A L L Y W I T H
T H E A U T H O R I T Y C I T E D .
• T H E R E C E I V E R C A N O N L Y A C T
P U R S U A N T T O A T R I A L C O U R T ’ S
O R D E R .
• T A K E A C O U R T R E P O R T E R T O Y O U R
H E A R I N G .
• T H E O R D E R S H O U L D I N C L U D E A
M E C H A N I S M F O R P A Y M E N T O F L E G A L
F E E S .
• R E D U C E A J H A N D W R I T T E N
D E C I S I O N S T O “ T Y P E . ”
• P R O V E U P T H E B A S I S F O R
A P P O I N T M E N T O F A R E C E I V E R .
PRAC TI C E TI PS OF
W HAT TO I NC LU D E
I N THE ORD ER
A R E C E I V E R
APPOINTING

16. PART3
PAYMENT OF FEES PRIOR TO ENTRY OF
DIVORCE DECREE

17. B E A W A R E O F A M O U N T O F F E E S
O W E D T O Y O U P R I O R T O M E D I A T I O N
O R T R I A L
H A V E A N A G R E E M E N T W I T H Y O U R C L I E N T
A S T O H O W T H O S E F E E S W I L L B E P A I D
• M O N E Y J U D G M E N T T O S E C U R E U N P A I D F E E S .
• L I S P E N D E N S . T E X A S P R O P E R T Y C O D E § 1 2 . 0 0 7
• O B T A I N A P R O M I S S O R Y N O T E O R A R E A L
E S T A T E L I E N N O T E .
• I D E N T I F Y S P E C I F I C F U N D S A W A R D E D I N T H E
D E C R E E W H I C H W I L L B E U S E D T O P A Y
A T T O R N E Y ’ S F E E S .
• I N C O R P O R A T E A L L A G R E E M E N T S R E G A R D I N G
P A Y M E N T S I N T O T H E D I V O R C E D E C R E E .
F E E S F R O M Y O U R C L I E N T
COLLECTING
P A R T 3

18. PART4
JUDGMENT FOR ATTORNEY’S FEES

19. THE JUDGMENT LANGUAGE MUST SPECIFY
P A R T 4
1 . T H E P A Y O R ;
2 . T H E P A Y E E ;
3 . W H E T H E R T H E J U D G M E N T I S G R A N T E D T O Y O U O R Y O U R C L I E N T ;
4 . T H E A M O U N T O F M O N E Y A W A R D E D ( T H E " P R I N C I P A L " ) ;
5 . T H E A M O U N T O F A N Y P O S T - J U D G M E N T I N T E R E S T ;
6 . T H E D A T E T H E J U D G M E N T W I L L B E G I N T O A C C R U E I N T E R E S T ; A N D
7 . T H E T I M E A N D P L A C E W H E R E T H E J U D G M E N T I S T O B E P A I D .

20. 0 2
UPO N T H E PAYI N G
PART Y'S RE CE I PT O F
CE RT AI N AN T I CI PAT E D
PRO CE E D S
0 4
(I F PO S S I BL E ) H A V E T H E
D E CRE E S T A T E T H A T
T H E RE L E A S E O F
CE RT AI N PRO PE RT Y
H E L D BY YO UR CL I E N T
T O T H E PA YI N G PA RT Y
I S CO N T I N G E N T UPO N
T H E PA YI N G PA RT Y'S
PAYME N T O F YO UR
A T T O RN E Y'S FE E S
0 1
H A V E JUD G E O RD E R
T H A T YO UR
A T T O RN E Y'S FE E S
W I LL BE PAI D FRO M A
S PE CI FI C A CCO UN T
0 3
O T H E R S PE CI FI C
S O URCE , A N D H A V E
T H E D E CRE E RE CI T E
O RD E R LAN G UAG E
T O T H A T E FFE CT
IF POSSIBLE, DECREE SHOULD PROVIDE THAT THE
FEES SHOULD BE PAID FROM A DESIGNATED SOURCE:

21. ENFORCING A JUDGMENT
• A B S T R A C T O F J U D G M E N T (T E X A S PRO PE RT Y CO D E § § 5 2 .0 0 1 —5 2 .
0 0 4 )
• W R I T O F E X E C U T I O N (T E X A S RUL E S O F CI V I L PRO CE D URE 6 2 2 )
• W R I T O F G A R N I S H M E N T (T E X A S CI V I L PRA CT I CE & RE ME D I E S
CO D E § § 6 3 .0 0 1 , E T . S E Q ; T E X A S RUL E S O F CI V I L PRO CE D URE
6 5 7 -6 7 9 )
• T U R N O V E R R E C E I V E R S H I P (T E X A S CI V I L PRA CT I CE & RE ME D I E S
CO D E § 3 1 .0 0 2 )
I N ORD ER TO C OLLEC T A M ONEY J U D G M ENT, Y OU HAVE S EVERAL
M EANS AVAI LABLE:
• W I N D - U P R E P R E S E N T A T I V E (T E X A S BUS I N E S S O RG A N I Z A T I O N S
CO D E § 1 5 2 .7 0 2 , § 1 1 .4 0 2 )

22. PART5
EQUITABLE LIENS

23. I N C L U D E A N E Q U I T A B L E L I E N L A N G U A G E I N T H E D E C R E E T O
P R O P E R L Y S E C U R E T H E M O N E Y J U D G M E N T
O N L Y A V A I L A B L E I F T H E J U D G M E N T I S I N T H E P A R T Y ’ S
N A M E

24. ADVANTAGES
OF AN EQUITABLE LIEN VS.
A JUDGMENT LIEN
A N E Q U I T A B L E L I E N I S
E F F E C T I V E O N T H E D A T E
T H E D E C R E E I S S I G N E D
A N E Q U I T A B L E L I E N D O E S
N O T R E Q U I R E
A B S T R A C T I N G , R E C O R D I N G ,
A N D I N D E X I N G
U N L I K E A J U D G M E N T L I E N ,
A N E Q U I T A B L E L I E N M A Y ,
U N D E R C E R T A I N
C I R C U M S T A N C E S A T T A C H
B O T H T O E X E M P T A N D N O N
E X E M P T P R O P E R Y ,
I N C L U D I N G A H O M E S T E A D

25. THANK YOU
B E N C H B A R 2 0 2 0
D U F F E E + E I T Z E N F A M I L Y L A W
4 3 1 1 O A K L A W N A V E N U E , S U I T E 6 0 0
D A L L A S T X , 7 5 2 1 9
2 1 4 . 4 1 6 . 9 0 1 0 I N F O @ D - E L A W . C O M W W W . D - E L A W . C O M